Apparatus for spinning prevention of traction wheels



Aug. 22, 1939. w. RIEGER 2,170,755

APPARATUS FOR SPINNING PREVENTION OF TRACTION WHEELS Filed Jan. 19, 1959 In venZar:

WEI/E elm 1269567,

27 M QM Patented Aug. 22, 1939,

UNITED STATES APPARATUS FOR srmnmo rnmn'rron or 'raAo'rloN mats A A Wilhelm Rieger, Kassel-Wilhelmshohe, Germany Application January 19, 1939, Serial No. 251,853 In Germany December 3, 1937 Claims. (61. 105-4 8) This invention relates to an apparatus for preventing the driving wheels of a locomotive from spinning, the invention being used in locomotives wherein the driving axles corresponding to the driving wheels are eachdriven independently of the other axles.

An object of the invention is to control the rotational rate or the driving wheels and their axles of a locomotive by means automatically affecting the power supply, as by throttling the steam passage to the steam cylinders for driving the axles.

Another object of the invention is to provide a 'throttling the power supply to maintain the driving axles at the same rotational rate.

A further object of the invention is to control the power supply to the driving axles from a nondriving axle.

A further object of the invention is to control the rotational rate of the driving wheels and their axles by means of a nondriving wheel having a difierent diameter and a different rotational rate from the driving wheels.

A further object of the invention is to provide a hydraulic system held in equilibrium between driving and non-driving axles, and means for automatically controlling the driving axles when said equilibrium is upset. e

A further object of the invention is to provide a hydraulic system between driving and non-driving axles, and means for releasing excess pressures in said system developed above predetermined speeds of said axles. p

In the prior art, various means have been devised for regulating the speed of locomotive driving wheels, where each set of driving wheels connected by a single axle is independentlyfdriven from another set, to prevent at least one set of wheels from spinning, or, in other words, from going faster than the linear speed of the locomotive warrants. Prior art means for preventing such spinning have been dependent upon the difference in speed between a driving axle and another driving axle, or a freely rotating axle, which difference is through mechanical, electricaLor hydraulic means, translated into a control impulse to exert an influence on the driving axle which is spinning. In hydraulic control means, use has been made of a differential drive connected between two driving axles, said differential drive ac-, tuating an oil pump only upon a great, inequality of the two axle speeds, said oil pump producing a throttling of the steam passage to the spinning or faster-running axle and it driving wheel. These prior art deviceswere not readily usable because they involved a mechanical connection between two driving axles and necessitated auxiliary control devices, as, for example, centrifugal governors, which could not be regulated readily from the cab of the locomotive.

The instant invention provides a means by which the control of the speeds of the various driving wheels and'their axles can be regulated by the engineer from the cab of a locomotive, and thus, the spinning of the driving wheels can be prevented through means readily adjustable according to immediate needs.

Generally, the invention consists in that each each of the driving axles, and one of the nondriving axles of the locomotive is provided with an oil pump, and the pressure generated by the pump on the non-driving axle serves as a relative standard against which the pressure developed from the pumps of the driving axles is operatively compared. A difierential in fluid pressure between the driving andnon-driving axle-pumps operates a piston which, through connectionsthrottles or opens a steam valve in the steam passage to the respective steam cylinders for the driving axles. As the rotational rate of the non-driving axles is always directly proportional to the linear velocity of the locomotive, the pump connected thereto maintains a fluid pressure against which the fluid pressure'developed by a pump on an axle of any of thedriving wheels can be balanced for all speeds of the locomotive.

In the drawing, Fig.1 is a diagrammatic side elevational view of a locomotive showing the control system.

Fig. 2 is a detailed elevational view, partly in section, showing the construction and arrangementoi the oil pumps and throttling valves; and

Fig. 3 is across sectional view on the line III-- III of Fig. 2. r

In Fig. l, a locomotive is shown at A, saidlocomotive having independently driven driving wheels B, C, and D, and a non-driving wheel E. Each of the wheels B, C, and D has, respectively, a steam cylinder by which, through conventional connecting rods and gears 4, joined to axle 6, each wheel is driven. .Steam for the steam cylinders! is taken from the boiler of the engine through steam pipe 8 into a steam manifold l0, and thence through steainlline I2 and connecting passageways ll to the cylinders 2 of, the driving wheels 3, C, and D, respectively. Only the steam line to cylinder 2 for wheel B is shown completed, the remaining lines to wheels C and D being similar, but being broken in the drawing for purposes of clarity. Upon each of the driving axlesj is mounted an oil pump 20, which pump is driven by any conventional means, as by gears, from either the axle orthe drive wheel.

Oil is supplied to this pump from oil reservoir 22 through pipe 24 and connecting branch pipes 26. Oil leaving each oil pump 20 passes through return pipe 28 through a control device 30 comprising a piston in a cylinder, and from there I through pipe 54 back to oil reservoir 22. In Fig.

1, oil pipes 24 and 28 to the pumps 28 for wheels C and D are broken for purposes of clarity. As shown in Fig. 2, one control device 88 is provided for each of the oil pumps 28, respectively. That is, for the three driving wheels, B, C, and D, there are three oil pumps 28, and three control devices 38.

An oil pump 48 is connected to the non-driving wheel E or its axle 42 by any conventional means, such as the pulley 44 shown. It is noted that non-driving wheel E is of different diameter, and therefore has a different rotational rate than the driving wheels B, C, and D, this merely indicating the applicability of the apparatus, and not being critical to the functioning of the same.

Oil for pump 48 is supplied from oil reservoir 22 through pipe 46, said oil leaving the pump 48 through'pipe 48, and passed into a regulating device 58, and from there, through pipe 52 into each of the cylinders of control device 38 in a manner to be later described. From regulating device 58, oil from puinp48 may be by-passed and returned to oil reservoir 22 through pipe I86.

As shown in Fig. 2, each of the control devices 38 consists of a cylinder having a piston 68 therein, forming on opposite sides thereof a first oil chamber 62 and a second oil chamber 64. Connecting rod 66 is joined to the piston 68 and through link 68 is connected to throttle valve I8 located-in the steam passage I4. Spring I2 is connected to valve 18 to hold the same in normally open position.

Oil from pump 28 is forced through pipe 28 into oil chamber 64 and out from there through pipe 54. The outlet passage from oil chamber 64 is controlled by a valve 88, said valve having a tapered head 82 by which the opening in outlet port 84 from chamber 64 can be varied. Manipulation of this valve can readily be made by means of hand wheel 86. It is noted that between outlet port 84 and pipe 54, there is a chamber 88 through which the oil passes. It is thus seen that a rise in oil pressure from pump 28 will cause an increased oil pressure in chamber 64, and a downward movement will be given to piston 68, and the valve 18 will be closed. The effective oil pressure in chamber 64 is, of course, regulated by the opening of port 84 by the setting of the valve 82.

Oil pressure in chamber 62 is created as follows: Oil passes from pump 48 through pipe 48, regulating device 58, pipe 52 to chamber 62. Device 58 functions as a pressure regulating means. In such device, the oil from pipe 48 is passed into an oil chamber 98. Adjacent this oil chamber and separated therefrom by a wall, is a pressure release chamber 92. A valve 84, pressed by a spring 96, engages a' port 98 and acts as an automatic relief valve, depending upon the strength of the spring 96. Manual pressure release means is given through a second port I88 engaged by a valve I82 operated through hand wheel I84. Oil from the chamber .92 is returned through pipe, I86 to oil reservoir 22.

It is apparent that as the speed of the engine I spring I I8 against piston I I2, this piston is moved to establish communication between cylinders 64 and 88 through bores I28 and I22, thus relieving the oil pressure in chamber 64 by by-passing the same,around valve 82, and forcing piston 68 upwardly in device 38, and maintaining valve I8 in open position.

The operation of the entire apparatus is as follows: Each of the driving wheels B, C, and D normally turns at the same rate, and this rate is proportional to the rotational rate of the nondriving wheel E. As each of the wheels B, C, and D is independently driven, a spinning of one or the other of the wheels independently of the other wheels is likely to occur, especially when the engine is accelerating from a stationary position. As soon as the wheels begin to turn, the fluid-pumps 28 and 48 are operated and oil is pumped to both sides of the piston 68, it being remembered that one piston 68 exists for each driving axle. Oil from pump 28 is led through pipe 28 to chamber 64, the pressure of the oil in the chamber being determined by the setting of the valve 82. Oil from pump 48 is led through pipes 48 and 52 to chamber 62, and the pressure therein is determined by the setting of the valve I82. The pressure in these two chambers 62 and 64 is equalized in order to keep the wheels tuming at the same rate, and valve I8 in steam passage I4 is open. When one of the axles and its driving wheel starts spinning, the corresponding pump 28 for such spinning axle will immediately cause a rise in oil pressure in chamber 64 and a consequent downward movement of piston 68, said piston movement efi'ecting immediately a throttling of the steam passage by closure of valve 18, and as the power to the spinning axle is cut oil, the axle will drop to the speed of the axles as determined by the linear speed of the engine. With a. cessation of the spinning of the axle, the oil pump 28 slows down, and an equalization of oil pressure is reestablished on both sides of piston 68. Spring 12 overcomes this balance, and, in returning valve I8 to open position, also raises piston 68 to the position shown in Fig. 2. In place of spring 12, or supplementary thereto, the pressure in chamber 62 can be maintained at a slightly higher pressure than that in chamber 64, this being effected by valve I82 in regulating device 58.

In undesirable increase in pressure from. pump 48 is prevented by automatic release valve 94 in regulating device 58. Furthermore, after a predetermined speed has been reached, for example, 25 miles per hour, .the oil pressure from pump 48 acts upon valve II2 to provide a by-pass opening around valve 82 so that'the rise in oil pressure fromv pump 28 is relieved, and no increased force is exerted upon the piston 68 in chamber 64."

This relief in oil pressure also acts to prevent an undesirable heating of the oil and leakage under n 0 As soon as the speed of the engine drops with 7 pressure.

sure on both sides of the piston 68 is maintained.'

of fluid pressure upon until the driving wheels should start spinning again.

The apparatus described has many advantages. As the rotational rate of the wheel E is dependent upon the'linear speed of the engine, an oil pressure is established in the chamber 62, which is a criterion of the linear speed of the engine translated into terms of rotational rate of speed. If the driving wheels exceed this speed, the increased pressure in the cylinders 64 immediately reacts to effect a closing of the valve 10 for a resultant throttling of the steam passage supplying steam to the spinning wheels. The various control and regulating devices, for example, devices 20 and 50, can all be located in the cab of the engine, and there be adjusted to various operating conditions. This enables a constant supervision to be made by the engineer at all times.

For the purpose of observing the functioning of the apparatus, the control and regulating devices are preferably provided with indicating instruments, such as pressure gauges. Furthermore, the apparatus is very simple, as only small oil'pumps are needed, and the arrangement enables supervision, inspection, and repair to be made easily. Again, should some factor render the apparatus inoperable, the same can be placed out of commission by opening valve 82, which will, of course, keep the'steam valves 10 in their normal open position. I

Having now described the means by which I obtain the objects of my invention, what I claim is:

1. In a locomotive, an apparatus for preventing the spinning of independently driven driving axles comprising a plurality of independently powered driving axles, a non-driving axle turnable in response to linear movement of said locomotive, a fluid pump for each of said driving axles and said non-driving axle and operable, respectively, thereby, a. piston control device for each of said driving axles, means for applying fluid pressure from said non-driving axle pump against one side of the piston in each control device, means for applying fluid pressure from a driving axle pump to the opposite side of the piston in the control device corresponding to that pump, and means controllable by a differential in fluid pressure on opposite sides of said piston for varying the power supply to its corresponding driving axle. I v

2. In a locomotive, an apparatus as in claim 1, and a pressure regulating valve in each-control device for adjusting the fluid pressure from its driving axle pump.

3. In a locomotive, an apparatus as in claim 1, said means for supplying fluid from said nondriving axle pump including a fluid supply reservoir, and aregulating device comprisingmeans for receiving fluid from said reservoir, means for supplying fluid to each control device, and pressure. release means for returning fluid to said reservoir.

4. In a locomotive, an apparatus as in claim 1, a pressure regulating valve in each control device, and means operable-in response to pressure from said non-drivingaxle pump by-passing said pressure regulating valve for relieving an excess said opposite side of said piston. i

5.- An apparatus i'or stopping spinning of locomotive axles each or which has an independent power supply comprising a fluid pump operable by each independently powered driving axle, a nondriving axle, a fluid pump operable by said nondriving axle, a fluid reservoir, a control device for each driving axle pump, a regulating device for said non-driving axle pump, means for conveying fluid from said reservoir through each driving axle pump to its control device and back into said reservoir, means for conveying fluid from said reservoir to said non-driving axle Dump to its regulating device and backto said reservoir, means for conveying fluid under pressure developed from said non-driving axle pump from said regulating device to each control device, means in each control device for comparing fluid pressure from said non-driving axle pump with ,fluid pressure from the driving axle pump, and means responsive to a rise in fluid pressure from a driving axle pump as compared with fluid pressure from said non-driving axle pump for diminishing the power supply to the respective axle and thereby slowing said driving axle pump.

6. An apparatus as in claim 5, an adjustable valve in each control device for varying the fluid pressure in said control device from its driving axle pump, and valverneans responsive to a predetermined fluid pressure from said non-driving axle for by-passing said adjustable valve.

- 7. An apparatus as in claim 5, the power supply for said powered axles comprising a steam engine, for each driving axle, a steam pipe for each engine, said comparing means comprising a piston movable under differential fluidpressure in said control device and said responsive means comprising a valve in said pipe, means joining said valve to said piston, and a spring holding said valve in normally opened position.

8. In a locomotive, an apparatus for preventing the spinning of independently driven driving axles comprising a plurality of independently powered driving axles, a non-driving axle turnable in response to linear movement of said locomotive, a fluid pump for each of said driving axles and said non-driving axle and operable, respec-I tively thereby, a device operable by hydraulic pressure for each of said driving axles, means for applying fluid pressure from said non-driving axle pump to each device, means for applying fluid pressure from a driving axle pump to that device corresponding to that pump, and means controllable by a differential in fluid pressure in each of said respective devices for reducing the speed ofthe corresponding driving axle.

'9. A hydraulic system for preventing the spinning of independently powered driving axles of avehicle comprising a separate control device responsive to changes in differential hydraulic pressure for each individual driving axle, means connecting each control device to the power supply for the corresponding axle for varying said power supply on a change in differential pressure in said device, means for producing in each control de vice a first hydraulic pressure in proportion to mm RIEGER. 

